


Behind the Docks

by shebagirl



Category: Neverwinter Nights
Genre: F/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 10:12:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4517937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shebagirl/pseuds/shebagirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Hero of Neverwinter meets Bishop for the first time in her uncle Duncan's pub.  Both rangers, they find each other intriguing, and share an encounter that might come to haunt them later on...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind the Docks

Neeshka was ecstatic, and wouldn't stop squealing and talking all the way home. Leona was trying to tune her out; the truth was, she wasn't sure she should have even helped her on that foolhardy mission. It wasn't her style to just break into someone's place and steal their things. But this man Leldon was clearly a thorn in Neeshka's side. And Neeshka was her friend, and about as good as a devil rogue can get. She just couldn't say no when Neeshka had asked for her help.  
"The coin, the coin, I finally have the coin...." Neeska was singing like a little girl. Khelgar was trudging next to Leona, a scowl on his face. He jerked his axe back behind them. "She come with an off button?"  
Leona smiled. "Not that I've noticed. I'm hoping she'll wear herself out."  
Neeshka ran a few steps to keep pace. "Oh, Leona, now that I have my- er, Leldon's coin, he'll never defeat me! I am the best thief in the city and he should have known better than to-"  
Leona stopped walking. "What did you say? Did you say that was your coin?"  
"Well, er, I stole it from a mansion in Waterdeep and Leldon stole it from me and-"  
"Neeshka. Was it your coin, or wasn't it?"  
"So hard to say. These things pass hands so quickly and...okay, okay. It was my coin." Neeshka's tail switched in irritation. "I can't bear to think that Leldon was able to get it from me. He staged such a grand theft just so I would take it along for luck and just as I had my ear to the safe, the bastard plucked it right out of my pouch."  
Khelgar chuckled softly. "Looks like you ain't the greatest thief here, demon lass."  
Neeshka got right up to Khelgar. "Listen here, stinky little dwarf-man, I took all my loot after that job. Right from under his nose. I just couldn't find my coin, was all. He must have had it on him. It would have been the perfect crime!"  
Leona put her arm around Neeshka as they walked. "You know, if you'd told me in the first place this belonged to you, you wouldn't have had to work so hard to convince me to help. You deserve what's rightfully yours. I'm glad you have it back."  
"Best or not," roared Khelgar, "this calls for a celebration! Let's let your uncle fill our mugs with ale!"  
"Sounds good to me," said Leona. She was in a good mood. She felt lucky to have these two good friends already, who despite their very different personalities had managed an uneasy mutual respect. She had made it to her uncle's pub in one piece after this long journey from home, and was already being assigned tasks thanks to the city Watch. Tomorrow she and her friends would take on some Tomb of Betrayers or something. One could die any day, but the night was theirs. Since finding her uncle's Duncan's pub Leona felt a relief she hadn't known she craved; all that remained was to solve the mystery of the shards she'd collected, and they were well on their way.  
"Leona, my girl. Had a day of fun after your long journey, eh?"  
Leona smiled at her uncle. He was so unlike her father, open and readable. She smiled even wider at the thought of her father owning a pub, even being in a pub. People bristled even in speaking to him, with his cold voice and stoic face. Duncan was in his element with the pub patrons gathered around him. It was a little early yet, but the place would be packed later. Leona was looking forward to the anonymity of a big crowd, after having to sneak around all day in other people's mansions.  
"Ale on the house for my friends. You look pleased with yourselves, so I trust you deserve it, eh?"  
Neeshka volunteered some information, but not as much as the gossipy uncle had hoped. "Yes, Duncan, we really did some great sight-seeing today. Saw all I wanted to see, and got some souvenirs too!"  
Duncan slapped her and Leona on their backs. "Sal, bring the mugs! Bishop, don't be such a sourpuss, man. Didn't you hear me say ale on the house?"  
Sal, the bartender, hurried over with frosty mugs. The man Duncan referred to as Bishop scowled from across the room, leaning against the far wall.  
"I'm not even sure free beer would bring me over there, Uncle. If I wanted to talk to women I'd go down to the brothel. Then I could at least stop paying them when I wanted them to stop."  
Khelgar muttered under his breath, "Good point, stranger. You don't know the half of it with this thief. We can't shut her up either."  
Leona turned her head away to hide her chuckle.  
"Ah, Bishop, come on. She's m'niece after all, and it's special to 'ave her 'ere. She's a ranger, too, you know."  
At that, Bishop paused, and locked eyes with Leona. They had already met briefly, but this new information intrigued both of them. Leona wasn't surprised, as he looked uncomfortable in the crowds and carried a bow. If they'd both been rogues they might have swapped stories; if they'd been paladins, they might have invited each other to prayer. Instead they both were curious but wary. Rangers were comfortable in their isolation from the world, and tended not to socialize with other rangers. Why would they have to? More than one ranger in a party was redundant.  
Bishop looked Leona up and down slowly, as if she were the very ale she was about to drink. She rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, asking Neeshka if she could look more closely at her coin.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A few minutes later, Bishop appeared at their table with a full mug. "It seems if I want my free ale I have to drink it here with you. Your uncle seems to think I need to socialize."  
"I think so too," said Neeshka. "Maybe you'd learn how to be a little nicer to people, Mr. I'd-rather-be-in-a-brothel."  
"Nicer to people, that's rich," said Bishop. "Coming from a rogue and all, who happens to be a...is that tiefling blood I smell? Nice, indeed. Huh."  
"Another small mind who knows nothing of my people," Neeshka said. "I was raised by monks, I tell you. Monks!"  
Khelgar snorted. "Didn't you say you got kicked out when you kept-"  
"Never mind," offered Leona. "Just leave it. Bishop, what brings you to Neverwinter?"  
"Hatred for the Luskans. Anyone who opposes Luskan is a friend of mine...for a while, anyway. And you, neice?"  
"Leona. My village was attacked by Githyanki. I had some...family matters to discuss with my uncle."  
Bishop's face went blank. "So you're the Harbourman who saved her village? I should have smelled it on you. You must be tougher than you look."  
"I am."  
Neeshka was pulling out her ragged deck of cards and dealing to Khelgar. "Do I need to count 'em again, lass?"  
"Aw Khelgar, come on. We had a good night. I'm being generous."  
Duncan's voice boomed through the crowd, who was filing in for Friday night fun. "Bishop, I could use a little help in back. Care to bring in some piles of grain?"  
Bishop didn't move an inch. "Not really. Don't you have family to do that for you now?"  
Leona stood, looking at Bishop. "I'll help you, Uncle. It's the least I can do for the free room and all."  
Neeshka smirked. "Well," she said. "I guess chilvary really is dead in Neverwinter." Khelgar nodded.  
"I don't even know this woman," said Bishop. "What has she done to deserve special treatment from me?"  
"When she'd got a knife at your throat then you'll remember to give 'er special treatment," said Khelgar. "She'd best your sorry bones in a fight any day."  
"Oh, real-ly," Bishop said slowly, looking Leona over again. "The compliment of a dwarf fighter goes a long way."  
Leona backed away. "Oh no, Khelgar. I'm not letting you start fights on my behalf like you did in that pub on Tuesday night."  
Neeshka giggled. "Well you did take on all five of them, with 'nary a scratch on ye' like Khelgar predicted."  
"It hurt!"  
Everyone was laughing but Bishop. That didn't seem to be unusual around here, and Leona excused herself to help her uncle.  
\------------------------------------------  
"What's his story?" Leona asked her uncle as they shuffled the grain around.  
"It's a short one, and a long one," Duncan answered. "I can make it shorter, though: tough life, bad choices. All adds up to no good. But I got his number. He'll stick around, and helps me out now."  
"Why? He doesn't seem happy about it."  
"Eh, he has his reasons." Clearly Duncan wasn't going to say more, so they chatted more about her father, and eventually he thanked her and sent her back out to her friends. "Enjoy yourself tonight. Drink all my ale for all I care. Been so long since I've 'ad family in the house!"  
Leona took his advice. She drank more ale, played more cards, and met some very interesting people. She was greatful for the uneventful hours with her friends, after all the fighting for her life this month.  
As Leona swayed on her feet a little, studying the minstrels in the corner, Bishop came up behind her. He didn't surprise her; she just ignored him.  
"Who's your animal?"  
She didn't even turn. "My what?" Despite the noise their hearing as rangers was astute enough to barely raise their voices. She had heard him, but was surprised at the question.  
"Your animal. You do have one, or are you not that good a ranger?"  
Finally she turned. "Do you ever say anything nice?"  
"I say what I'm thinking. Most people's thoughts aren't very nice. I'm just honest about it."  
"Fair enough. A bear. Honus is his name. He's in the back stables, away from the horses of course. You?"  
"Wolf. He's on the outskirts of the docks somewhere. Karnwyr. Mangy little shit."  
Leona smiled. "I can tell how much you love him."  
"He steals my food."  
"Well, maybe you should just share it instead."  
Bishop squinted at her like she was speaking a foreign language. "Honestly never thought of that. Probably won't be doing it though."  
Leona shrugged. "Suit yourself. Wolf, though. He could probably eat you if he got hungry enough."  
Sal came through, sweat pouring down his face as he held a platter high above the crowded area. "'Scuse me Miss Leona, coming through with some more food. We're running out of fruit and nut something fierce tonight. As if the whole docks haven't eaten yet today!"  
Leona walked with him a step or two, yelling so he could hear. "Can I help?"  
Sal looked relieved against his own will. It was clear he didn't want to ask Duncan's neice for help, but they were swamped and he was doing most of the work by himself. "I'd love that, sorry to say, but...behind the pub we got two locked storage spaces. One on the left has all the fruit and nuts we need. I could use two bags of each." He turned to Bishop. "Bring him with you, make him carry it. Take your time with the heavy load, we're good for a bit yet. Oh and Leona girl, it's dark out there, and thieves do try to break in sometimes. Watch yourself."  
Bishop looked indifferent but said, "I guess I'll be with her, so that -"  
"Sure, Bishop," Sal said, turning back to Leona. "Make sure you don't lose your concentration while having to protect this louse. Sure as anything you could beat him in a fair fight. I'd put money on it, too."  
Leona smiled. Without a backward glance she took off toward the store rooms. Bishop cursed, straightened his bow, and followed behind.  
\------------------------------------------------  
It was dark out here, Leona thought. She realized how soft she'd gotten with Neeshka around to look ahead for traps and crannies. She took her time breathing in fresh air, instinctively looking up at the stars as if she were gauging her route for a journey.  
"You do that too."  
Bishop came up behind her. She figured he enjoyed appearing suddenly on people, and he seemed to forget it wouldn't work on her. "Maybe all rangers do it."  
"Nope. Known many and never saw anyone else sky-track even when they're not tracking."  
Leona made her way through a few groups of men, all of whom turned to look at her, some to whistle. One made the mistake of grabbing her bottom and found himself up against the store room side, handing by a dagger in his hood. "Watch it," Leona said. The other men backed away. Bishop was doubled over laughing, something Leona didn't think was possible.  
"You really are tough. I stand corrected."  
Leona pulled her dagger out, kicked the shivering man along, and kept her pace up. "You stand corrected, and you might stand nailed to a wall next. Let's go."  
They reached the storeroom alone, and she unlocked it with the code Sal had given her. Even that was new, after days with Neeshka to unlock everything easily. It felt good to do something by the rules today. She slid in, let Bishop behind her, and lit the torches around the edges. As the light sparked, they could see that against the back wall were neatly rowed sacks of fruit, nuts, grain, and feed for Duncan's horses. "Ok," said Leona, as she stepped forward to work.  
Bishop put a hand on her waist. "What's your hurry?"  
She spun away. "I just nailed a man to a wall for less. You have some nerve."  
"Grabbing your ass is less than grabbing your waist? You harbourmen really are backwards out there."  
Leona wouldn't say she wasn't interested; Bishop was good-looking despite his scowl, and other rangers intrigued her. It had been a while since she'd been able to be reckless with something other than her fists. But she hadn't quite measured him up, and didn't feel like bothering. The night had been too good, already. Why take the chance of screwing it up?  
"Let's just get the job done, okay? Then we'll talk."  
Bishop leaned back against a sack pile. "Talking is about the last thing I want to do."  
"Well, you're foward, aren't you?"  
"Like I said, I speak my mind. Take it or leave it."  
She looked sideways at him. "I might take it. I might not. Help me find the right sacks."  
He obliged, and before long they had the right four sacks lined up by the door. Bishop sat on a pile and undid one tie, pulling out some nuts and popping them into his mouth.  
"Hey! That's my uncle's hard-earned stash!"  
"Oh yeah? Who do you think runs jobs for him so he can keep this dump of an establishment? I earn my keep, and then some."  
Leona quietly asked, "Why do you stay here? You obviously hate it."  
"I have my reasons." Funny, she thought. Duncan said nearly the same thing.  
She said nothing, but sat down beside him and took a nut. "I'd rather not be here either, but my home is pretty much destroyed and now I have errands to run on its behalf. It's a heavy load."  
"Just leave, then," said Bishop. "At least you can leave."  
"Not the way I see it," said Leona. "I have a duty now."  
"Duty." Bishop spat the word like a curse. "Duty is the lies people tell to get something from you. Don't forget yourself in all this."  
"On the contrary, it seems like you remember yourself too much."  
"Touche, young ranger. But you're still wrong, and you're going to lose much in the name of your duty."  
She shrugged. "For me there's no other way."  
He changed course, knowing they were at an impasse. "Where are you going tomorrow?"  
"Raiding a haunted tomb."  
"And tonight?"  
She shrugged again, and stood up. "Calm before the storm, I guess."  
"Not necessarily," said Bishop, and his body was on top of hers before she could react.  
Being a woman traveling alone - at least until she met Khelgar - Leona was very familiar with men groping her, jumping on her, grabbing her. What she wasn't familiar with was men jumping on her who she actually wanted. She was attracted to Bishop, yes, but instinct kicked in, and she had turned to put him up against the wall with a knife at his throat before his mouth even reached hers. Though obviously not as strong as most men, Leona knew they let down their guard when aroused, and also they were usually drunk. This time was the same. Except that she was a little tipsy too, and she was also feeling the first pangs of desire.  
Bishop coughed his surprise. "You're drawing blood," he said calmly. "Is that what you really want to do?"  
Leona hadn't realized how hard she pushed her dagger in. She was trying to make up for her uneasiness and tipsiness with aggression. Thanks Khelgar, she thought, for passing that on to me.  
She brought down her knife. "You didn't have my permission," she said.  
"That's funny," said Bishop in a snide tone she was beginning to recognize, "because I was pretty sure I did."  
Leona stayed silent as she cleaned and re-sheathed her dagger. She took her time because she didn't know what to do next. Bishop filled up the silence.  
"I don't ask permission. If I have to ask it's not worth having."  
The adrenaline rush, combined with standing up so fast, dizzied Leona all of a sudden, and she leaned back against the wall. "That's too bad," she said. "I would really be worth having."  
Bishop sighed loudly, as if resigning himself to an unpleasant task, and pushed himself from the wall. He came to stand in front of her, but just out of reach. "I don't ask permission," he repeated.  
Leona raised her chin as if she were haughty royalty addressing a subject. "Well this time you have it anyway," she said, trying to sound dignified but failing, because her words slurred a little. She was letting him off the hook, but they both knew this whole charade was just like foreplay. If he'd really wanted to, he could have overpowered her, and if she really wanted to stop him, his neck would be bleeding more.  
They stood there looking at each other for an instant that felt like hours. Then he leaned in quickly and pulled her head towards his, crushing their lips together. After the day of sneaking around, and days on end of fighting - with Khlegar one was always fighting - she was ready for the simple act of two people with a common goal. She leaned into the harsh kiss, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling his upper body against hers until she lost her balance and bounced against the wall behind her. Bishop leaned his weight against her, covering her whole body with his, but she didn't feel trapped; they were there for the same thing, wanted the same release. She reached her hands behind him and roughly pulled his lower body in, pushing against him at the same time.  
Bishop moved from her mouth to her neck, and snickered in her ear. "As if I needed permission," he scoffed, as he undid her weapons and slid off her shirt.  
\----------  
Once she was topless, Leona undid Bishop’s weapons and jerkin. They were rushing as if out of time, anxious to feel their bodies against one another. They kissed hurriedly again and again, mouths and tongues discovering. Leona rubbing her hands up and down his back just to feel his skin. 

“When I first met you, I admit I was imagining you bent over a sack of grain.”  
“When I first met you, I thought you were a dick.”  
Bishop chuckled. “Looks like I’m going to get my sack of grain, and you’re going to…”  
“Hilarious. Pick your sack already, I’m getting cold.” Leona eased herself onto the sack pile until it molded to her body. Bishop leaned into her and kissed her hard again as he slammed his body against hers.  
“Except,” he said between kisses, “I said bent over the sack.” He pulled her up and roughly turned her around until her back was to him. Leona turned her head and gave him a glare, then teased him by bending over farther and looking back again, face smug and waiting.  
“Exactly,” said Bishop. He reached his hands around her waist and down her belly, kneading her inner thighs as he licked along her back. Closer and closer to her center, he waited until she arched her head back in pleasure for the first time, and entered her just then. With surprise she pushed backwards even more, taking him in farther and causing a moan from his lips, muffled against her skin.  
Once they had their rhythm steady, Leona relaxed her upper body and Bishop covered it with his own. His hands reached up to her breasts, teasing and pinching the nipples, while she reached her hands around to feel him from behind, moving in and out of her. Leona’s moans echoed out into the room, muffled only by the sacks of grain around them. Bishop grunted into her ear, pulling her hair back so he could suck on her neck just along the side.  
Their rhythm got faster and faster, until Leona could feel the warm heat growing inside her, ready to spill over. She could vaguely hear people milling around outside, as they’d been when they entered the storeroom. She felt Bishop’s mouth against her ear.  
“Shhhhh,” he said. He reached his right hand around to her mouth, and she instinctively opened her mouth and sucked on his fingers. With that, he was moaning too, but into her neck and hair, making her feel warmer and even closer to orgasm. He slid his wet fingers from her mouth to her breasts, rubbing her with them, until she felt ready to burst. She knew she should keep quiet but it didn’t seem to matter anymore.  
Because she was louder Bishop could tell that she was close to losing control, and he reached his arm across her mouth so that his wrist and forearm were against it. It muffled her cries only a little, until she bit him to muffle her pleasure even more. Feeling the bite and her growing orgasm tensing around him brought Bishop to his edge, and as she screamed the orgasm into his arm he came too, pushing his body into hers with more and more force. They slowed together, panting and sweaty. Exhausted from the position and the pace, he collapsed on top of her, pushing her fully flat onto the sacks below them. As Leona caught her breath and the pleasure receded, she curled up and started laughing. Bishop pulled out of her and off of her, dried off his body with one of the empty sacks, and tossed it aside.  
Leona rolled over onto her back, still laughing a little.  
“What the hell’s so funny?” Bishop asked.  
“Let me see your arm.”  
Bishop held it out. “Don’t think I ever had a woman draw my blood twice in one day,” he said.  
“I am sorry. But not really.”  
“Well, anyway. I don’t think they heard you out in Waterdeep.”  
Leona burst into laughter again as Bishop continued to get dressed. She thought she might have even seen the corner of a smile as he bent down to grab his bow.  
\---------------  
“Can you stand? We’ve got work to do here, lazy niece.” Bishop strapped on the last of his knives and tested the weight of the sacks. “There’s a wheelbarrow around the bend. Get it and let’s get the job done.”  
“Why can’t you get it?” Leona asked, still getting dressed.  
“Because I don’t have a sense of duty like you. Hurry up.”  
Leona rolled her eyes and finished dressing, then got the wheelbarrow and straightened up while Bishop loaded the sacks. When they made it back to Sal he didn’t blink an eye at the two of them, but Neeshka did.  
“Where have you two been?”  
“In the storeroom,” said Bishop. “You want to go out there with me? I’ll show you just what we were doing.”  
“Ewwwww,” said Neeshka walking away. “No thank you. I like my partners with a tail.”  
Bishop shrugged. “Never heard that one before.”  
“I’d better get some rest,” said Leona, looking at the floor not knowing what else to say. They barely knew each other and Bishop certainly wasn’t the invite-to-your-bed type. “Long day tomorrow, and all.” The moment of connection was behind them, and they were now just two people in a bar.  
“Right,” said Bishop, eyeing her carefully. He leaned in close to her amidst the crowd, to be sure she was the only one to hear him. “I won’t forget that scream of yours.”  
Leona smiled. “Looking at the state of your arm, I bet you won’t.”

 

 

Leona and her companions woke late the next morning, and hurried to the tomb of betrayers. Though Elanee stayed behind again today, taking care of business in the big tree outside the Neverwinter Temple, the other three had no problem with the Betrayer ghosts. Leona was surprised at how easy it had been, actually. Perhaps last night's extra fun had energized her today instead of tired her.  
It was late when they got back to the pub, and Leona was grateful Bishop wasn't around. She figured he would make himself scarce after last night, and she didn't mind a bit. It had been just what she needed, and she'd do it again in a heartbeat. But she also knew that The Sunken Flagon was a home base for her, a place she'd return to again and again after wearisome travels. Bishop, for whatever reason, couldn't or wouldn't leave the Flagon, and though part of her relished coming back to him occasionally, she also didn't want to develop that relationship, casual as it might seem. Better to make the break now, and keep her distance.  
A long rest was in order, and after a quiet game of cards with her companions Leona enjoyed a long sleep. It was a good thing she'd been well-rested, because she was about to embark on a three-day journey back to Highcliff, after finding out that the farmer Shandra was the missing link she'd been looking for. She'd rescued and lost her twice - once at the Flagon itself - when she knew it was time to go after her. By then she'd been lucky enough to pick up a few more companion/friends: the strange but entertaining bard Grobar; the interesting but cocky sorceress Qara; and the handsome but reserved paladin Casavir. She dreaded having to call the meeting to decide who to bring with her on the dangerous trek to rescue Shandra from the Githyanki. But it was time. She and her six friends gathered at the Flagon, with Duncan for help and insight.  
"This is hard for all of us," said Leona. "I know you all want to help Shandra, but I can only take two of you. I need melee strength on this trip so I’m taking Khelgar and Casavir as my two.”  
"Three," said Duncan. "You'll be taking Bishop too."  
“The hell you will,” Bishop said. “I’m not going anywhere with her and her pets.”  
Everyone just stared and watched while Duncan and Bishop argued. It was as if they were finishing an argument they’d started someplace else.  
“Callin’ in that favor, son,” Duncan continued. “Now’s the time.”  
Leona tried to interrupt. “Uncle, I don’t need extra help, really, but thank you. Least of all a ranger. His skills are nothing I couldn’t do by myself.”  
Bishop slowly turned his gaze, amber eyes locking on hers. “I recall it differently, but it doesn’t matter now.”  
The paladin Casavir squeaked his chair backwards. “There’s no need to speak to her this way, ranger. Coming or not you’d better learn some manners.”  
“Doesn’t matter,” said Bishop, “because I’m not coming.” Leona said almost the same thing at the exact same time.  
Duncan turned to Leona. “These monsters came into my home. My HOME! They’ll stop at nothing, child. You need all the help you can get, and I want you protected.” He turned back to Bishop. “You heard me, I’m calling in the favor. You’re not going to say no; you know you can’t. You’re going with her, and that’s final.”  
“No,” Leona and Bishop said at the same time. And everyone started talking at once.  
“Shit,” said Neeshka, elbowing Leona next to her. “Bet you’d have done things differently if you’d known, eh?”  
“Too late for that now,” said Leona. “I’ll just try to stay out of his way.”

(the end)


End file.
